Exploring a shift in teacher practices after going through an intervention on the integration of local knowledge in grade 9 physical science lessons
- Authors: Mika, Rauha T
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Physical sciences -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia , Ethnoscience -- Study and teaching -- Namibia , Science -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia , Curriculum planning -- Study and teaching -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/96801 , vital:31323
- Description: It has been advocated by many scholars that the integration of local or indigenous knowledge into science classrooms might make science more relevant and accessible to learners, particularly in culturally diverse classrooms. As a result, the Namibian Grade 9 Physical Science curriculum expects teachers to integrate learners’ local or indigenous knowledge in their science classrooms. Despite these ideals, there are no clear instructions on how to go about doing this. This is exacerbated in part by the poor or lack of continuing professional development for science teachers. It is against this background that this study sought to explore an intervention on the integration of local or indigenous knowledge in Grade 9 Physical Science lessons. The study is underpinned by an interpretive paradigm and is informed by Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory and Wenger’s community of practice. Within the interpretive paradigm, a qualitative case study approach was employed. It was carried out in four schools with four Physical Science teachers from Otjiwarongo circuit in Namibia. Qualitative data were generated using workshop discussions, document analysis, semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and reflections. A variety of data generation techniques were used for triangulation and validity purposes. Data were subsequently analysed inductively to come up with themes. The findings of the study revealed that before the intervention the teachers involved in this study had little knowledge about the integration of local or indigenous knowledge in science lessons. However, after their voluntary participation in the intervention, they were enabled to develop and mediate model lessons that integrated local or indigenous knowledge in their classrooms which their learners subsequently found to be stimulating. The findings of the study further revealed that integrating local or indigenous knowledge in science lessons had the potential to promote active participation by learners and foster learning using easily accessible resources. The study thus recommends that teachers should, where possible, strive to integrate learners’ local or indigenous knowledge in science lessons.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mika, Rauha T
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Physical sciences -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia , Ethnoscience -- Study and teaching -- Namibia , Science -- Study and teaching (Secondary) -- Namibia , Curriculum planning -- Study and teaching -- Namibia
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/96801 , vital:31323
- Description: It has been advocated by many scholars that the integration of local or indigenous knowledge into science classrooms might make science more relevant and accessible to learners, particularly in culturally diverse classrooms. As a result, the Namibian Grade 9 Physical Science curriculum expects teachers to integrate learners’ local or indigenous knowledge in their science classrooms. Despite these ideals, there are no clear instructions on how to go about doing this. This is exacerbated in part by the poor or lack of continuing professional development for science teachers. It is against this background that this study sought to explore an intervention on the integration of local or indigenous knowledge in Grade 9 Physical Science lessons. The study is underpinned by an interpretive paradigm and is informed by Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory and Wenger’s community of practice. Within the interpretive paradigm, a qualitative case study approach was employed. It was carried out in four schools with four Physical Science teachers from Otjiwarongo circuit in Namibia. Qualitative data were generated using workshop discussions, document analysis, semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and reflections. A variety of data generation techniques were used for triangulation and validity purposes. Data were subsequently analysed inductively to come up with themes. The findings of the study revealed that before the intervention the teachers involved in this study had little knowledge about the integration of local or indigenous knowledge in science lessons. However, after their voluntary participation in the intervention, they were enabled to develop and mediate model lessons that integrated local or indigenous knowledge in their classrooms which their learners subsequently found to be stimulating. The findings of the study further revealed that integrating local or indigenous knowledge in science lessons had the potential to promote active participation by learners and foster learning using easily accessible resources. The study thus recommends that teachers should, where possible, strive to integrate learners’ local or indigenous knowledge in science lessons.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Modernisation and extension of InetVis: a network security data visualisation tool
- Authors: Johnson, Yestin
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Data visualization , InetVis (Application software)
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69223 , vital:29447
- Description: This research undertook an investigation in digital archaeology, modernisation, and revitalisation of the InetVis software application, developed at Rhodes University in 2007. InetVis allows users to visualise network traffic in an interactive 3D scatter plot. This software is based on the idea of the Spinning Cube of Potential Doom, introduced by Stephen Lau. The original InetVis research project aimed to extend this concept and implementation, specifically for use in analysing network telescope traffic. The InetVis source code was examined and ported to run on modern operating systems. The porting process involved updating the UI framework, Qt, from version 3 to 5, as well as adding support for 64-bit compilation. This research extended its usefulness with the implementation of new, high-value, features and improvements. The most notable new features include the addition of a general settings framework, improved screenshot generation, automated visualisation modes, new keyboard shortcuts, and support for building and running InetVis on macOS. Additional features and improvements were identified for future work. These consist of support for a plug-in architecture and an extended heads-up display. A user survey was then conducted, determining that respondents found InetVis to be easy to use and useful. The user survey also allowed the identification of new and proposed features that the respondents found to be most useful. At this point, no other tool offers the simplicity and user-friendliness of InetVis when it comes to the analysis of network packet captures, especially those from network telescopes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Johnson, Yestin
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Data visualization , InetVis (Application software)
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/69223 , vital:29447
- Description: This research undertook an investigation in digital archaeology, modernisation, and revitalisation of the InetVis software application, developed at Rhodes University in 2007. InetVis allows users to visualise network traffic in an interactive 3D scatter plot. This software is based on the idea of the Spinning Cube of Potential Doom, introduced by Stephen Lau. The original InetVis research project aimed to extend this concept and implementation, specifically for use in analysing network telescope traffic. The InetVis source code was examined and ported to run on modern operating systems. The porting process involved updating the UI framework, Qt, from version 3 to 5, as well as adding support for 64-bit compilation. This research extended its usefulness with the implementation of new, high-value, features and improvements. The most notable new features include the addition of a general settings framework, improved screenshot generation, automated visualisation modes, new keyboard shortcuts, and support for building and running InetVis on macOS. Additional features and improvements were identified for future work. These consist of support for a plug-in architecture and an extended heads-up display. A user survey was then conducted, determining that respondents found InetVis to be easy to use and useful. The user survey also allowed the identification of new and proposed features that the respondents found to be most useful. At this point, no other tool offers the simplicity and user-friendliness of InetVis when it comes to the analysis of network packet captures, especially those from network telescopes.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Modelling storm-time TEC changes using linear and non-linear techniques
- Authors: Uwamahoro, Jean Claude
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Magnetic storms , Astronomy -- Computer programs , Imaging systems in astronomy , Ionospheric storms , Electrons -- Measurement , Magnetosphere -- Observations
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/92908 , vital:30762
- Description: Statistical models based on empirical orthogonal functions (EOF) analysis and non-linear regression analysis (NLRA) were developed for the purpose of estimating the ionospheric total electron content (TEC) during geomagnetic storms. The well-known least squares method (LSM) and Metropolis-Hastings algorithm (MHA) were used as optimization techniques to determine the unknown coefficients of the developed analytical expressions. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model, and the Multi-Instrument Data Analysis System (MIDAS) tomographic inversion algorithm were also applied to storm-time TEC modelling/reconstruction for various latitudes of the African sector and surrounding areas. This work presents some of the first statistical modeling of the mid-latitude and low-latitude ionosphere during geomagnetic storms that includes solar, geomagnetic and neutral wind drivers.Development and validation of the empirical models were based on storm-time TEC data derived from the global positioning system (GPS) measurements over ground receivers within Africa and surrounding areas. The storm criterion applied was Dst 6 −50 nT and/or Kp > 4. The performance evaluation of MIDAS compared with ANNs to reconstruct storm-time TEC over the African low- and mid-latitude regions showed that MIDAS and ANNs provide comparable results. Their respective mean absolute error (MAE) values were 4.81 and 4.18 TECU. The ANN model was, however, found to perform 24.37 % better than MIDAS at estimating storm-time TEC for low latitudes, while MIDAS is 13.44 % more accurate than ANN for the mid-latitudes. When their performances are compared with the IRI model, both MIDAS and ANN model were found to provide more accurate storm-time TEC reconstructions for the African low- and mid-latitude regions. A comparative study of the performances of EOF, NLRA, ANN, and IRI models to estimate TEC during geomagnetic storm conditions over various latitudes showed that the ANN model is about 10 %, 26 %, and 58 % more accurate than EOF, NLRA, and IRI models, respectively, while EOF was found to perform 15 %, and 44 % better than NLRA and IRI, respectively. It was further found that the NLRA model is 25 % more accurate than the IRI model. We have also investigated for the first time, the role of meridional neutral winds (from the Horizontal Wind Model) to storm-time TEC modelling in the low latitude, northern and southern hemisphere mid-latitude regions of the African sector, based on ANN models. Statistics have shown that the inclusion of the meridional wind velocity in TEC modelling during geomagnetic storms leads to percentage improvements of about 5 % for the low latitude, 10 % and 5 % for the northern and southern hemisphere mid-latitude regions, respectively. High-latitude storm-induced winds and the inter-hemispheric blows of the meridional winds from summer to winter hemisphere have been suggested to be associated with these improvements.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Uwamahoro, Jean Claude
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Magnetic storms , Astronomy -- Computer programs , Imaging systems in astronomy , Ionospheric storms , Electrons -- Measurement , Magnetosphere -- Observations
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/92908 , vital:30762
- Description: Statistical models based on empirical orthogonal functions (EOF) analysis and non-linear regression analysis (NLRA) were developed for the purpose of estimating the ionospheric total electron content (TEC) during geomagnetic storms. The well-known least squares method (LSM) and Metropolis-Hastings algorithm (MHA) were used as optimization techniques to determine the unknown coefficients of the developed analytical expressions. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model, and the Multi-Instrument Data Analysis System (MIDAS) tomographic inversion algorithm were also applied to storm-time TEC modelling/reconstruction for various latitudes of the African sector and surrounding areas. This work presents some of the first statistical modeling of the mid-latitude and low-latitude ionosphere during geomagnetic storms that includes solar, geomagnetic and neutral wind drivers.Development and validation of the empirical models were based on storm-time TEC data derived from the global positioning system (GPS) measurements over ground receivers within Africa and surrounding areas. The storm criterion applied was Dst 6 −50 nT and/or Kp > 4. The performance evaluation of MIDAS compared with ANNs to reconstruct storm-time TEC over the African low- and mid-latitude regions showed that MIDAS and ANNs provide comparable results. Their respective mean absolute error (MAE) values were 4.81 and 4.18 TECU. The ANN model was, however, found to perform 24.37 % better than MIDAS at estimating storm-time TEC for low latitudes, while MIDAS is 13.44 % more accurate than ANN for the mid-latitudes. When their performances are compared with the IRI model, both MIDAS and ANN model were found to provide more accurate storm-time TEC reconstructions for the African low- and mid-latitude regions. A comparative study of the performances of EOF, NLRA, ANN, and IRI models to estimate TEC during geomagnetic storm conditions over various latitudes showed that the ANN model is about 10 %, 26 %, and 58 % more accurate than EOF, NLRA, and IRI models, respectively, while EOF was found to perform 15 %, and 44 % better than NLRA and IRI, respectively. It was further found that the NLRA model is 25 % more accurate than the IRI model. We have also investigated for the first time, the role of meridional neutral winds (from the Horizontal Wind Model) to storm-time TEC modelling in the low latitude, northern and southern hemisphere mid-latitude regions of the African sector, based on ANN models. Statistics have shown that the inclusion of the meridional wind velocity in TEC modelling during geomagnetic storms leads to percentage improvements of about 5 % for the low latitude, 10 % and 5 % for the northern and southern hemisphere mid-latitude regions, respectively. High-latitude storm-induced winds and the inter-hemispheric blows of the meridional winds from summer to winter hemisphere have been suggested to be associated with these improvements.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Synthesis, characterisation and biological evaluation of novel anti-infective compounds bearing ferrocene, arylpyrrole, thiazolidinedione, quinoline and triazole moieties
- Authors: Oderinlo, Ogunyemi Olajide
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/114714 , vital:34016 , 10.21504/10962/114714
- Description: Expected release date-April 2022
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Oderinlo, Ogunyemi Olajide
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/114714 , vital:34016 , 10.21504/10962/114714
- Description: Expected release date-April 2022
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2019
The extent of urban Green Collar employment, its contribution to poverty alleviation and potential for growth in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: King, Andrew
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Economic development -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty prevention -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Job creation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Urban ecology (Sociology) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Urban poor -- Employment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Clean energy industries -- Employment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Renewable energy sources -- Government policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land use, Urban -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Open spaces -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/115191 , vital:34095
- Description: The aim of this research was to investigate the job provisioning benefits of urban green space (GS), the ability of these jobs to alleviate poverty amongst poor urban households, as well as the potential to increase the number of Green Collar (GC) jobs. According to Lal et al. (2010), Roy et al. (2012) and others, environmental employment or GC jobs, represent the very synergy between social, economic and environmental resilience and sustainability, and have the ability to provide an additional range of goods and services. Data was collected from 12 towns and cities in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, all varying in population, town size and geographic location. Structured employer, employee and resident interviews were used to collect data, which pertained to a number of employment characteristics and employee living conditions. Throughout the sample, 19 different types of jobs were identified, and a total of 17 429 GC employees were counted, sharing a total of approximately R503 million in annual wages. Some GC employees were found to still be in a position of poverty despite employment, while others enjoyed a higher standard of living as a result, although this was largely dependent on the extent of wages and other household and employment attributes. Using lessons learnt from previous chapters, a number of data sources and a creative approach, the potential for growth and improvement in the urban GC sector was discussed, and the way forward involves private, public, informal and civil sector participation and innovation; which will not only enhance environmental and social ecosystem services, but also provide meaningful employment opportunities to the otherwise impoverished. Urban GC jobs should be widely viewed as a useful tool in achieving social, environmental and economic prosperity in urban landscapes (Bowen and Kuralbayeva, 2015).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: King, Andrew
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Economic development -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Poverty prevention -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Job creation -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Urban ecology (Sociology) -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Urban poor -- Employment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Clean energy industries -- Employment -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Renewable energy sources -- Government policy -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Land use, Urban -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Open spaces -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/115191 , vital:34095
- Description: The aim of this research was to investigate the job provisioning benefits of urban green space (GS), the ability of these jobs to alleviate poverty amongst poor urban households, as well as the potential to increase the number of Green Collar (GC) jobs. According to Lal et al. (2010), Roy et al. (2012) and others, environmental employment or GC jobs, represent the very synergy between social, economic and environmental resilience and sustainability, and have the ability to provide an additional range of goods and services. Data was collected from 12 towns and cities in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, all varying in population, town size and geographic location. Structured employer, employee and resident interviews were used to collect data, which pertained to a number of employment characteristics and employee living conditions. Throughout the sample, 19 different types of jobs were identified, and a total of 17 429 GC employees were counted, sharing a total of approximately R503 million in annual wages. Some GC employees were found to still be in a position of poverty despite employment, while others enjoyed a higher standard of living as a result, although this was largely dependent on the extent of wages and other household and employment attributes. Using lessons learnt from previous chapters, a number of data sources and a creative approach, the potential for growth and improvement in the urban GC sector was discussed, and the way forward involves private, public, informal and civil sector participation and innovation; which will not only enhance environmental and social ecosystem services, but also provide meaningful employment opportunities to the otherwise impoverished. Urban GC jobs should be widely viewed as a useful tool in achieving social, environmental and economic prosperity in urban landscapes (Bowen and Kuralbayeva, 2015).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
The integration of effluent treatment using constructed wetlands, with crop production and aquaculture
- Authors: de Jong, Martyn
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Recycling (Waste, etc.) , Brewery waste , Sewage -- Purification , Beets , Mozambique tilapia
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/95767 , vital:31197
- Description: Breweries are major consumers of water and produce nutrient rich wastewater. Therefore, it is important to research technologies that optimise the reuse and recycling of this waste. This study compared different constructed wetlands (CWs) in terms of their potential for cleaning brewery effluent and simultaneously producing crops Beta vulgaris and fish Oreochromis mossambicus. Filling and draining times (FDT; 15 min, 30 min and 60 min) in tidal CWs were compared in Experiment 1. The 15 min FDT (6.52 ± 0.09 mg/l) and 30 min FDT (5.74 ± 0.09 mg/l) had higher dissolved oxygen (DO) than the 60 min FDT (5.40 ± 0.09 mg/l; p<0.05). This resulted in the 15 and 30 min FDT treatments reaching ammonia effluent discharge standards sooner than the 60 min FDT. Total plant harvest increased with increasing FDT; therefore, 15 min FDT was used as the FDT in tidal treatments in the following experiments. The aerated CW (5.81 ± 0.07 mg/l) and tidal CW (5.67 ± 0.07 mg/l) treatments had higher DO concentrations than the unaerated CW treatment (3.76 ± 0.07 mg/l; p<0.05) in Experiment 2. This resulted in lower ammonia concentrations on day 5 in the aerated and tidal CWs compared with the unaerated treatment (p<0.05). The tidal CW (23.97 ± 2.57 kg) had a total harvest that was approximately four times higher than the unaerated CW (p<0.05), which had the highest frequency of chlorosis and plant mortality; and was unable to treat ammonia to discharge standards. In Experiment 3, the aerated and tidal CW were compared with municipal-water as water sources for aquaculture. There were no differences in fish growth (p > 0.05). However, there were differences in water quality; with the municipal treatment having the lowest pH, EC and nitrate concentration (p<0.05); but all water quality parameters remained in a range suitably for fish production. Due to the tidal CW having the highest plant harvest and lowest frequency of chlorosis and mortality; it was the most suitable CW technology to clean the brewery effluent, and to produce B. vulgaris and water that could be used downstream in aquaculture.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: de Jong, Martyn
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Recycling (Waste, etc.) , Brewery waste , Sewage -- Purification , Beets , Mozambique tilapia
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/95767 , vital:31197
- Description: Breweries are major consumers of water and produce nutrient rich wastewater. Therefore, it is important to research technologies that optimise the reuse and recycling of this waste. This study compared different constructed wetlands (CWs) in terms of their potential for cleaning brewery effluent and simultaneously producing crops Beta vulgaris and fish Oreochromis mossambicus. Filling and draining times (FDT; 15 min, 30 min and 60 min) in tidal CWs were compared in Experiment 1. The 15 min FDT (6.52 ± 0.09 mg/l) and 30 min FDT (5.74 ± 0.09 mg/l) had higher dissolved oxygen (DO) than the 60 min FDT (5.40 ± 0.09 mg/l; p<0.05). This resulted in the 15 and 30 min FDT treatments reaching ammonia effluent discharge standards sooner than the 60 min FDT. Total plant harvest increased with increasing FDT; therefore, 15 min FDT was used as the FDT in tidal treatments in the following experiments. The aerated CW (5.81 ± 0.07 mg/l) and tidal CW (5.67 ± 0.07 mg/l) treatments had higher DO concentrations than the unaerated CW treatment (3.76 ± 0.07 mg/l; p<0.05) in Experiment 2. This resulted in lower ammonia concentrations on day 5 in the aerated and tidal CWs compared with the unaerated treatment (p<0.05). The tidal CW (23.97 ± 2.57 kg) had a total harvest that was approximately four times higher than the unaerated CW (p<0.05), which had the highest frequency of chlorosis and plant mortality; and was unable to treat ammonia to discharge standards. In Experiment 3, the aerated and tidal CW were compared with municipal-water as water sources for aquaculture. There were no differences in fish growth (p > 0.05). However, there were differences in water quality; with the municipal treatment having the lowest pH, EC and nitrate concentration (p<0.05); but all water quality parameters remained in a range suitably for fish production. Due to the tidal CW having the highest plant harvest and lowest frequency of chlorosis and mortality; it was the most suitable CW technology to clean the brewery effluent, and to produce B. vulgaris and water that could be used downstream in aquaculture.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
An investigation of learning and emerging knowledge in the Mpophomeni Sanitation Education Project, Howick, KwaZulu-Natal
- Authors: Boothway, Reinetta Louina
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Environmental education -- South Africa , Mpophomeni Sanitation Education Project (South Africa) , Water quality management -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Knowledge and learning
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/115377 , vital:34121
- Description: This study took place within the broader context of water resources management in South Africa. With the democratisation of water stewardship through an enabling international and South African water policy landscape, an opportunity opened up for citizens to participate in the effective management of their own water resources. In this context, a community-engaged citizen science project known as the Mpophomeni Sanitation Education Project emerged to demonstrate how a diverse range of knowledge agents can work and learn together to better manage their water resources and address problems of sewage pollution threatening their provincial water source. The following study aimed to shed light on the learning and emerging knowledge in the MSEP. The study was conducted in three phases. Wenger’s Communities of Practice (CoP) theory provided a lens to look at Phase One, which aimed to answer the following sub-question: Is the MSEP a CoP? Wenger’s CoP theory also assisted with the investigation during Phase Two, which looked at the following question: What is the nature of learning in the MSEP? Social realist theories of knowledge and education, and Tàbara and Chabay with their Ideal Type (IT) worldviews, provided suitable lenses for Phase Three’s investigation of the following question: What is the nature of emerging knowledge in the MSEP? The main finding for Phase One is that the MSEP does function as a CoP. With its strong focus on relationships, it’s clearly defined joint enterprise of solving the problem of sewage pollution, individual and joint commitment to engage with the problem and the sharing of a repertoire of tools, ideas and practices it is cultivating a culture conducive to purposeful learning. Regarding the exploration of the nature of learning in Phase Two, findings confirming the engagement of identity with learning and the importance of context for meaning-making emerged. Finally, study findings about the nature of knowledge in the MSEP found that the knowledge practices in the MSEP that are both social and epistemic in nature are produced by a diverse range of knowledge agents in an open knowledge space.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Boothway, Reinetta Louina
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Environmental education -- South Africa , Mpophomeni Sanitation Education Project (South Africa) , Water quality management -- Study and teaching -- South Africa , Knowledge and learning
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MEd
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/115377 , vital:34121
- Description: This study took place within the broader context of water resources management in South Africa. With the democratisation of water stewardship through an enabling international and South African water policy landscape, an opportunity opened up for citizens to participate in the effective management of their own water resources. In this context, a community-engaged citizen science project known as the Mpophomeni Sanitation Education Project emerged to demonstrate how a diverse range of knowledge agents can work and learn together to better manage their water resources and address problems of sewage pollution threatening their provincial water source. The following study aimed to shed light on the learning and emerging knowledge in the MSEP. The study was conducted in three phases. Wenger’s Communities of Practice (CoP) theory provided a lens to look at Phase One, which aimed to answer the following sub-question: Is the MSEP a CoP? Wenger’s CoP theory also assisted with the investigation during Phase Two, which looked at the following question: What is the nature of learning in the MSEP? Social realist theories of knowledge and education, and Tàbara and Chabay with their Ideal Type (IT) worldviews, provided suitable lenses for Phase Three’s investigation of the following question: What is the nature of emerging knowledge in the MSEP? The main finding for Phase One is that the MSEP does function as a CoP. With its strong focus on relationships, it’s clearly defined joint enterprise of solving the problem of sewage pollution, individual and joint commitment to engage with the problem and the sharing of a repertoire of tools, ideas and practices it is cultivating a culture conducive to purposeful learning. Regarding the exploration of the nature of learning in Phase Two, findings confirming the engagement of identity with learning and the importance of context for meaning-making emerged. Finally, study findings about the nature of knowledge in the MSEP found that the knowledge practices in the MSEP that are both social and epistemic in nature are produced by a diverse range of knowledge agents in an open knowledge space.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Analyzing the Anthropogenic Allee Effect in cycad (Encephalartos species) populations in South Africa: an evaluation of illegal trade and conservation policy
- Authors: Earle, Sasha
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Allee effect , Cycads -- Conservation -- South Africa , Botany, Economic -- South Africa , Rare plants -- South Africa , Endangered plants -- South Africa , Wild plant trade -- Law and legislation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , Mcom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/95565 , vital:31171
- Description: South Africa is a country known for rich biodiversity and ecosystems across the land and seascape. South Africa is one of the global hotspots for cycad diversity. Cycads are known to be the world’s most threatened plant species; declining in South Africa at a rapid pace, with threat of extinction in the wild. The main factor being harvesting from the wild for private collections. Rare cycad species’ are especially sought after by collectors. Economic theory assumes that the exploitation of a species is unlikely to result in extinction due to the increasing costs of finding the last few individuals of a species. However, the theory of the Anthropogenic Allee Effect (AAE) suggests that if consumers place a disproportionate value on a rare species’, a cycle may result whereby increased exploitation decreases population size, increasing the value of the species and, consequently, leading to its extinction in the wild. This hypothesis was tested for 37 Encephalartos species using data collected on wild populations, auction prices and the IUCN Red List status for the year 2010. It was hypothesised that an AAE was present within Encephalartos species, as three species have already gone extinct in the wild. The price per centimetre was positively correlated to the rarity of the species and the price per centimetre was negatively correlated to the wild population size. The results suggest a trend of an AAE for the year 2010. Adequate conservation policies are needed to reduce the effects of demand on illegal harvesting and prevent extinction in the wild. The effect of rarity needs to be taken into account to ensure successfulness of such policies. The most recent conservation policy implemented to protect cycads in South Africa is the Strategy and Action for the Management of Cycads in South Africa, which was introduced in 2016. The successfulness of this policy cannot, however, be analysed due to a lack of census data following its implementation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Earle, Sasha
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Allee effect , Cycads -- Conservation -- South Africa , Botany, Economic -- South Africa , Rare plants -- South Africa , Endangered plants -- South Africa , Wild plant trade -- Law and legislation -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , Mcom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/95565 , vital:31171
- Description: South Africa is a country known for rich biodiversity and ecosystems across the land and seascape. South Africa is one of the global hotspots for cycad diversity. Cycads are known to be the world’s most threatened plant species; declining in South Africa at a rapid pace, with threat of extinction in the wild. The main factor being harvesting from the wild for private collections. Rare cycad species’ are especially sought after by collectors. Economic theory assumes that the exploitation of a species is unlikely to result in extinction due to the increasing costs of finding the last few individuals of a species. However, the theory of the Anthropogenic Allee Effect (AAE) suggests that if consumers place a disproportionate value on a rare species’, a cycle may result whereby increased exploitation decreases population size, increasing the value of the species and, consequently, leading to its extinction in the wild. This hypothesis was tested for 37 Encephalartos species using data collected on wild populations, auction prices and the IUCN Red List status for the year 2010. It was hypothesised that an AAE was present within Encephalartos species, as three species have already gone extinct in the wild. The price per centimetre was positively correlated to the rarity of the species and the price per centimetre was negatively correlated to the wild population size. The results suggest a trend of an AAE for the year 2010. Adequate conservation policies are needed to reduce the effects of demand on illegal harvesting and prevent extinction in the wild. The effect of rarity needs to be taken into account to ensure successfulness of such policies. The most recent conservation policy implemented to protect cycads in South Africa is the Strategy and Action for the Management of Cycads in South Africa, which was introduced in 2016. The successfulness of this policy cannot, however, be analysed due to a lack of census data following its implementation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Effect of substituents on the photophysical properties and nonlinear optical properties of asymmetrical zinc(II) phthalocyanine when conjugated to semiconductor quantum dots
- Authors: Mgidlana, Sithi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Nonlinear optics , Quantum dots , Phthalocyanines , Zinc
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/97152 , vital:31404
- Description: Various characterization techniques have been used to characterize the synthesized asymmetrical zinc phthalocyanines (ZnPc) derivatives. Techniques include Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometry, matrix assisted laser desorption time of flight mass spectrometry (MALD-TOF MS), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), elemental analysis and Fourier-transform infra-red spectroscopy (FT-IR). The complexes are covalently linked to core/shell and core/shell/shell semiconductor quantum dots (SQDs) via amide bond formation. Photophysical properties of complexes improved in the presence of semiconductor quantum dots (SQDs). SQDs contain cadmium/telluride (CdTe) as core, coated in the first shell with zinc selenide (ZnSe) or zinc sulfide (ZnS) and with zinc oxide (ZnO) in second shell. The photophysical properties of the phthalocyanine (Pc) complexes and their conjugates with SQDs are investigated in solution. Triplet quantum yields of complexes improved in the presence of semiconductor quantum dots. The optical limiting behaviour of the Pc complexes and conjugates are assessed using the open aperture Z–scan technique at laser excitation wavelength of 532 nm with 10 ns pulse. Pcs complexes showed good nonlinear optical response with higher nonlinear absorption coefficient. The conjugates afforded higher nonlinear absorption coefficient than Pc complexes alone.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mgidlana, Sithi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Nonlinear optics , Quantum dots , Phthalocyanines , Zinc
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/97152 , vital:31404
- Description: Various characterization techniques have been used to characterize the synthesized asymmetrical zinc phthalocyanines (ZnPc) derivatives. Techniques include Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometry, matrix assisted laser desorption time of flight mass spectrometry (MALD-TOF MS), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), elemental analysis and Fourier-transform infra-red spectroscopy (FT-IR). The complexes are covalently linked to core/shell and core/shell/shell semiconductor quantum dots (SQDs) via amide bond formation. Photophysical properties of complexes improved in the presence of semiconductor quantum dots (SQDs). SQDs contain cadmium/telluride (CdTe) as core, coated in the first shell with zinc selenide (ZnSe) or zinc sulfide (ZnS) and with zinc oxide (ZnO) in second shell. The photophysical properties of the phthalocyanine (Pc) complexes and their conjugates with SQDs are investigated in solution. Triplet quantum yields of complexes improved in the presence of semiconductor quantum dots. The optical limiting behaviour of the Pc complexes and conjugates are assessed using the open aperture Z–scan technique at laser excitation wavelength of 532 nm with 10 ns pulse. Pcs complexes showed good nonlinear optical response with higher nonlinear absorption coefficient. The conjugates afforded higher nonlinear absorption coefficient than Pc complexes alone.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Functional characterization of the nuclear localisation and export signals of the human Hsp70/Hsp90 organising protein (HOP)
- Authors: Rousseau, Robert
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/97819 , vital:31489
- Description: Expected release date-April 2021
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Rousseau, Robert
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/97819 , vital:31489
- Description: Expected release date-April 2021
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2019
Women’s narratives about alcohol use during pregnancy: a narrative-discursive study
- Authors: Matebese, Sibongile
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Pregnant women -- South Africa -- Social conditions , Pregnant women -- South Africa -- Alcohol use , Pregnant women -- South Africa -- Psychology
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/95196 , vital:31126
- Description: While research has explored the risk factors that contribute to alcohol use during pregnancy among South African women, such studies have mostly been quantitative in nature. There is a growing body of research that contextualises and articulates the attitudes, beliefs, and underlying motivations that influence drinking during pregnancy. However, few qualitative studies explore the cultural, economic, familial, and social contexts within which drinking during pregnancy takes place. Studies which have explored these contexts have been conducted in other geographical regions such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States but their findings are not generalisable to South Africa. Drawing on a feminist poststructuralist as well as a narrative-discursive approach including Foucault’s (1978) theory of power, this study sought to explore women’s narratives of the personal and interpersonal circumstances under which drinking during pregnancy takes place in terms of the discourses used to construct these narratives and the subject positions made available within these discourses. This allowed for the practice of alcohol use during pregnancy to be understood within the social and cultural narratives, practices, and discourses around pregnancy as well as gendered and social relations. Using the narrative interview method set out by Wengraf (2001), thirteen, unemployed ‘Black’ women from an area in the Eastern Cape were recruited and interviewed. Seven discourses emerged from the narratives namely, a discourse of ‘stress and coping’ ‘hegemonic masculinities’, ‘peer pressure’, ‘disablement and developmental delay’, ‘good mothering/appropriate pregnancies’, ‘culture’, and ‘religion’. These discourses informed the five narrative categories which emerged: narratives about the pregnancy, narratives about the drinking, narratives that justify/explain drinking, narratives that condemn the drinking, and narratives about the women knowing the effects of drinking during pregnancy. Within these narratives, the women mainly positioned themselves as dependent on alcohol during their pregnancies in order to cope with stress caused by various circumstances which were mainly centred on a lack of support from their partners, paternity denial, infidelity and unreliableness. As such, the women in this study mainly justified their drinking during pregnancy and in constructing this narrative, the ‘stress and coping’ discourse as well as the ‘male/masculine provider’ discourse were mainly drawn upon. In reflecting on this analysis, this study argues that alcohol use during pregnancy should be understood within the broader environmental and social context that makes a pregnancy challenging and/or difficult and thus necessitates drinking during pregnancy. Recommendations for future research include expanding the diversity of participants as well as interviewing healthcare providers and women who are currently pregnant, drinking, and part of an intervention aimed at addressing alcohol use during pregnancy so as to obtain a holistic understanding of engaging in this practice. The study makes key recommendations for interventions in practice to help work towards ensuring that the practice of alcohol use during pregnancy is not individualised, decontextualized, and stigmatised.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Matebese, Sibongile
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Pregnant women -- South Africa -- Social conditions , Pregnant women -- South Africa -- Alcohol use , Pregnant women -- South Africa -- Psychology
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/95196 , vital:31126
- Description: While research has explored the risk factors that contribute to alcohol use during pregnancy among South African women, such studies have mostly been quantitative in nature. There is a growing body of research that contextualises and articulates the attitudes, beliefs, and underlying motivations that influence drinking during pregnancy. However, few qualitative studies explore the cultural, economic, familial, and social contexts within which drinking during pregnancy takes place. Studies which have explored these contexts have been conducted in other geographical regions such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States but their findings are not generalisable to South Africa. Drawing on a feminist poststructuralist as well as a narrative-discursive approach including Foucault’s (1978) theory of power, this study sought to explore women’s narratives of the personal and interpersonal circumstances under which drinking during pregnancy takes place in terms of the discourses used to construct these narratives and the subject positions made available within these discourses. This allowed for the practice of alcohol use during pregnancy to be understood within the social and cultural narratives, practices, and discourses around pregnancy as well as gendered and social relations. Using the narrative interview method set out by Wengraf (2001), thirteen, unemployed ‘Black’ women from an area in the Eastern Cape were recruited and interviewed. Seven discourses emerged from the narratives namely, a discourse of ‘stress and coping’ ‘hegemonic masculinities’, ‘peer pressure’, ‘disablement and developmental delay’, ‘good mothering/appropriate pregnancies’, ‘culture’, and ‘religion’. These discourses informed the five narrative categories which emerged: narratives about the pregnancy, narratives about the drinking, narratives that justify/explain drinking, narratives that condemn the drinking, and narratives about the women knowing the effects of drinking during pregnancy. Within these narratives, the women mainly positioned themselves as dependent on alcohol during their pregnancies in order to cope with stress caused by various circumstances which were mainly centred on a lack of support from their partners, paternity denial, infidelity and unreliableness. As such, the women in this study mainly justified their drinking during pregnancy and in constructing this narrative, the ‘stress and coping’ discourse as well as the ‘male/masculine provider’ discourse were mainly drawn upon. In reflecting on this analysis, this study argues that alcohol use during pregnancy should be understood within the broader environmental and social context that makes a pregnancy challenging and/or difficult and thus necessitates drinking during pregnancy. Recommendations for future research include expanding the diversity of participants as well as interviewing healthcare providers and women who are currently pregnant, drinking, and part of an intervention aimed at addressing alcohol use during pregnancy so as to obtain a holistic understanding of engaging in this practice. The study makes key recommendations for interventions in practice to help work towards ensuring that the practice of alcohol use during pregnancy is not individualised, decontextualized, and stigmatised.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Exploring multiple dimensions of identiy development in black South African adolescents
- Authors: Buso, Masimbulele
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Identity (Psychology) , Adolescent psychology -- South Africa , Identity (Psychology) in adolescence -- South Africa , Teenagers, Black -- Psychology -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/96702 , vital:31310
- Description: South Africa, just like most African countries, is a country rich in social, political and economic history due to colonisation, specifically the apartheid system. The current socio-political and economic climate of the country is said to influence the process of identity development and formation during adolescence. Therefore, the main aim of the study was to explore the various identities that black adolescents are exploring given the context of the country. Additionally, the aim of this research was to explore the methods in which adolescents utilise to develop their identity and the challenges encountered during this process. The study made use of three data collection methods; a Short Reflective exercise, a Nominal Group Technique and Focus Groups. Data was analysed using thematic analysis to generate main themes and sub themes. The main themes discussed in this study revealed that adolescents experiences multiple aspects of their identity, which exist in a complex interwoven system influenced by both external and internal factors. The main challenge was the difficulty in integrating the dominant westernised/individualistic ideology with the collectivistic ideology that adolescents are raised according to. Overall, the study indicated that the majority of the participants had a positive self-concept and a positive outlook with regards to their future. Recommendations emphasise the need for further research that would be based on the South African context to further explore black identity and to gain contextual information that can be used to combat some of the social issues that the South African youth is challenged with.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Buso, Masimbulele
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Identity (Psychology) , Adolescent psychology -- South Africa , Identity (Psychology) in adolescence -- South Africa , Teenagers, Black -- Psychology -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/96702 , vital:31310
- Description: South Africa, just like most African countries, is a country rich in social, political and economic history due to colonisation, specifically the apartheid system. The current socio-political and economic climate of the country is said to influence the process of identity development and formation during adolescence. Therefore, the main aim of the study was to explore the various identities that black adolescents are exploring given the context of the country. Additionally, the aim of this research was to explore the methods in which adolescents utilise to develop their identity and the challenges encountered during this process. The study made use of three data collection methods; a Short Reflective exercise, a Nominal Group Technique and Focus Groups. Data was analysed using thematic analysis to generate main themes and sub themes. The main themes discussed in this study revealed that adolescents experiences multiple aspects of their identity, which exist in a complex interwoven system influenced by both external and internal factors. The main challenge was the difficulty in integrating the dominant westernised/individualistic ideology with the collectivistic ideology that adolescents are raised according to. Overall, the study indicated that the majority of the participants had a positive self-concept and a positive outlook with regards to their future. Recommendations emphasise the need for further research that would be based on the South African context to further explore black identity and to gain contextual information that can be used to combat some of the social issues that the South African youth is challenged with.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
The taxation of the “sharing economy” in South Africa
- Authors: Gumbo, Wadzanai Charisma
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Corporations -- Taxation Taxation -- South Africa Value-added tax -- Law and legislation -- South Africa Double taxation -- South Africa Tax evasion -- South Africa Income tax -- Law and legislation -- South Africa Tax administration and procedure -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/64045 , vital:28525
- Description: The research examined whether the services provided by the “sharing economy” platforms are adequately dealt with by the current South African tax systems. In addressing this main goal, the research analysed how the South African tax systems deal with the income and expenses of Uber, Airbnb and their respective service providers. The research also investigated how South Africa could classify “sharing economy” workers and how this would affect the deductibility of the worker’s expenses. A brief analysis was made of the taxation of the “sharing economy” businesses in Australia and the United States of America. These countries have implemented measures to effectively deal with regulating the “sharing economy” businesses. An interpretative research approach was used to provide clarity on the matter. Documentary data used for the research consists of tax legislation, case law, textbooks, commentaries, journal articles and theses. The research concluded that the current taxation systems have loopholes that are allowing participants in the “sharing economy” to avoid paying tax in South Africa. The thesis recommends that the legislature could adopt certain measures applied in Australia and the United States of America to more effectively regulate “sharing economy” in South African and remedy the leakages the current tax systems suffer, causing SARS to lose potential revenue.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Gumbo, Wadzanai Charisma
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Corporations -- Taxation Taxation -- South Africa Value-added tax -- Law and legislation -- South Africa Double taxation -- South Africa Tax evasion -- South Africa Income tax -- Law and legislation -- South Africa Tax administration and procedure -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/64045 , vital:28525
- Description: The research examined whether the services provided by the “sharing economy” platforms are adequately dealt with by the current South African tax systems. In addressing this main goal, the research analysed how the South African tax systems deal with the income and expenses of Uber, Airbnb and their respective service providers. The research also investigated how South Africa could classify “sharing economy” workers and how this would affect the deductibility of the worker’s expenses. A brief analysis was made of the taxation of the “sharing economy” businesses in Australia and the United States of America. These countries have implemented measures to effectively deal with regulating the “sharing economy” businesses. An interpretative research approach was used to provide clarity on the matter. Documentary data used for the research consists of tax legislation, case law, textbooks, commentaries, journal articles and theses. The research concluded that the current taxation systems have loopholes that are allowing participants in the “sharing economy” to avoid paying tax in South Africa. The thesis recommends that the legislature could adopt certain measures applied in Australia and the United States of America to more effectively regulate “sharing economy” in South African and remedy the leakages the current tax systems suffer, causing SARS to lose potential revenue.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Investigating household energy conservation behaviours in Johannesburg, South Africa
- Authors: Williams, Stephanie
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Environmental behavior -- South Africa , Energy conservation -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa , Energy consumption -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa , South Africans -- Energy consumption
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/94101 , vital:31000
- Description: Behavioural change is increasingly anticipated as an important pathway towards the reduction of the human footprint on the environment. Monitoring resource consumption at the household scale is essential as a basis for evaluating current performance and supports the understanding of how behaviour change interventions can be implemented. Yet, there are comparatively fewer studies on pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) in developing country contexts than in developed countries. Further, where research efforts have been made in developing countries, these have mainly focussed on low-income households. This means the extant literature on PEB is limited across a geographic and economic gradient, making generalisations about PEB problematic and limiting the scope for thinking about interventions for promoting pro-environmental behaviour in developing countries. In response to this, the study focuses on high-income households in Johannesburg, South Africa. Overall, the findings show a high level of heterogeneity in reported pro-environmental energy use behaviour, attributed to a suit of socio-demographic and value factors. Mainly, age, number of dependents, household size. Valuing leisure time were negatively correlated to energy use behaviours, while valuing environmental quality positively correlated to energy use behaviours. The provision of information energy-saving interventions yielded positive behavioural change as shown by reduced energy consumption of up to 12% in the Treatment group. However, no significant correlations were found between energy reduction and socio-demographic and personal value factors, which can be attributed to a different cultural context. The study discusses the implications of the findings on debates around pro-environmental behaviour and factors influencing pro-environmental behaviour, and provides further recommendations for future energy policies related to the household sector.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Williams, Stephanie
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Environmental behavior -- South Africa , Energy conservation -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa , Energy consumption -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa , South Africans -- Energy consumption
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/94101 , vital:31000
- Description: Behavioural change is increasingly anticipated as an important pathway towards the reduction of the human footprint on the environment. Monitoring resource consumption at the household scale is essential as a basis for evaluating current performance and supports the understanding of how behaviour change interventions can be implemented. Yet, there are comparatively fewer studies on pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) in developing country contexts than in developed countries. Further, where research efforts have been made in developing countries, these have mainly focussed on low-income households. This means the extant literature on PEB is limited across a geographic and economic gradient, making generalisations about PEB problematic and limiting the scope for thinking about interventions for promoting pro-environmental behaviour in developing countries. In response to this, the study focuses on high-income households in Johannesburg, South Africa. Overall, the findings show a high level of heterogeneity in reported pro-environmental energy use behaviour, attributed to a suit of socio-demographic and value factors. Mainly, age, number of dependents, household size. Valuing leisure time were negatively correlated to energy use behaviours, while valuing environmental quality positively correlated to energy use behaviours. The provision of information energy-saving interventions yielded positive behavioural change as shown by reduced energy consumption of up to 12% in the Treatment group. However, no significant correlations were found between energy reduction and socio-demographic and personal value factors, which can be attributed to a different cultural context. The study discusses the implications of the findings on debates around pro-environmental behaviour and factors influencing pro-environmental behaviour, and provides further recommendations for future energy policies related to the household sector.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
The impact of elephants on thicket vegetation and other mammals in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Authors: Nuttall-Smith, Gareth David
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Albany Thicket -- Effect of browsing on , Elephants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , African elephant populations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Woody plants -- Effect of browsing on -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Animal-plant relationships -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Vegetation monitoring -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , African elephant populations -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Biotic communities -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , African elephant -- Food , Vegetation dynamics -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/76365 , vital:30554
- Description: African elephants (Loxodonta africana) were absent from large portions of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa for more than 100 years following widespread hunting for ivory. However, recent shifts in land use practices have resulted in the establishment of many private game reserves throughout the region. Some of these reserves have reintroduced elephants, raising management concerns because of the perceived impact that elephants can have on vegetation and the animals that rely on it for resources. My thesis aimed to assess the role of elephants in determining the structure and complexity of the locally important Thicket Biome and how medium and large mammals are affected. I quantified the woody and succulent components of Albany Thicket across nine reserves with elephants between May 2016 and November 2017 using a modified Point-Centre-Quarter method. Camera traps were deployed at each site for the duration of a calendar year to measure the relative abundances of all medium and large mammals at the sites. Across all study sites, climatic conditions (specifically rainfall and temperature) were the primary drivers of woody vegetation structure and diversity. Elephants appeared to have little influence since they were reintroduced at low densities 20 years ago. The associated mammal communities were mostly influenced by the height and basal area coverage of the thicket across the sites. I conclude that because elephant populations have been maintained at relatively low densities across my study sites, negative effects on the thicket vegetation and the associated mammal communities were not observed. In fact, the establishment of private game reserves, even with elephants, present may offer sustainable conservation for the threatened Albany Thicket. However, these elephant populations are still relatively new and changes to the vegetation are likely to be cumulative. Thus, future research should focus on how the vegetation is affected over time. To this end, I recommend the establishment of permanent sampling stations across all reserves with elephants in the Eastern Cape Province.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Nuttall-Smith, Gareth David
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Albany Thicket -- Effect of browsing on , Elephants -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , African elephant populations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Woody plants -- Effect of browsing on -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Animal-plant relationships -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Vegetation monitoring -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , African elephant populations -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Biotic communities -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , African elephant -- Food , Vegetation dynamics -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/76365 , vital:30554
- Description: African elephants (Loxodonta africana) were absent from large portions of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa for more than 100 years following widespread hunting for ivory. However, recent shifts in land use practices have resulted in the establishment of many private game reserves throughout the region. Some of these reserves have reintroduced elephants, raising management concerns because of the perceived impact that elephants can have on vegetation and the animals that rely on it for resources. My thesis aimed to assess the role of elephants in determining the structure and complexity of the locally important Thicket Biome and how medium and large mammals are affected. I quantified the woody and succulent components of Albany Thicket across nine reserves with elephants between May 2016 and November 2017 using a modified Point-Centre-Quarter method. Camera traps were deployed at each site for the duration of a calendar year to measure the relative abundances of all medium and large mammals at the sites. Across all study sites, climatic conditions (specifically rainfall and temperature) were the primary drivers of woody vegetation structure and diversity. Elephants appeared to have little influence since they were reintroduced at low densities 20 years ago. The associated mammal communities were mostly influenced by the height and basal area coverage of the thicket across the sites. I conclude that because elephant populations have been maintained at relatively low densities across my study sites, negative effects on the thicket vegetation and the associated mammal communities were not observed. In fact, the establishment of private game reserves, even with elephants, present may offer sustainable conservation for the threatened Albany Thicket. However, these elephant populations are still relatively new and changes to the vegetation are likely to be cumulative. Thus, future research should focus on how the vegetation is affected over time. To this end, I recommend the establishment of permanent sampling stations across all reserves with elephants in the Eastern Cape Province.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
A computational analysis to decipher the pathways of stability, uncoating and antigenicity of human enterovirus capsids
- Authors: Ross, Caroline Jane
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/114788 , vital:34035 , 10.21504/10962/114788
- Description: Expected release date-April 2021
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Ross, Caroline Jane
- Date: 2019
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/114788 , vital:34035 , 10.21504/10962/114788
- Description: Expected release date-April 2021
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2019
Memory of a dead river
- Authors: Mayo, Thandokazi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Short stories, South African (English) , South African (English)
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/92364 , vital:30716
- Description: My thesis is a collection of short stories that tap into cultural, literal references, both oral andvisual, and also draws on images I have seen and have struggled to get out of my head. The collection draws on Alissa Nutting’s distorted realism and Noy Holland’s evocative imagery to make even the most mundane things feel like something out of the ordinary. An unreal way of looking at real things. The stories are interrelated only insofar as they seek to normalise or neutralise the peculiarity of society’s seemingly outdated people who come from the rural areas. Their faces, their stories, their general mannerisms. To capture the tone of their emotions, their small plights, and to give an in-depth look into how where you are affects the very shape of your face.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Mayo, Thandokazi
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Short stories, South African (English) , South African (English)
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/92364 , vital:30716
- Description: My thesis is a collection of short stories that tap into cultural, literal references, both oral andvisual, and also draws on images I have seen and have struggled to get out of my head. The collection draws on Alissa Nutting’s distorted realism and Noy Holland’s evocative imagery to make even the most mundane things feel like something out of the ordinary. An unreal way of looking at real things. The stories are interrelated only insofar as they seek to normalise or neutralise the peculiarity of society’s seemingly outdated people who come from the rural areas. Their faces, their stories, their general mannerisms. To capture the tone of their emotions, their small plights, and to give an in-depth look into how where you are affects the very shape of your face.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Time motion analyses of one-day international and twenty/20 matches and the development of a simulated batting protocol specifically designed for female cricket players
- Authors: Munro, Catherine
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Women cricket players , Cricket -- Batting , Cricket -- Coaching , Cricket -- Physiological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/76342 , vital:30550
- Description: Background: Accurate and reliable in-game data is fundamental when designing effective batting training. A simulated batting protocol that could aid research and training has not been specifically designed for female cricketers because of a distinct lack of empirical in-game data for the women’s version of the game. Objective: The purpose of this study was to quantify the motion demands and run-breakdown of a century and T20 half-century for women’s cricket matches to establish a simulated batting protocol specifically designed for female batters. Method: Time-motion analyses of four one-day international and six T20 innings were conducted on international cricket matches played around the world between 2012 and 2017. The innings was divided into the bowling and batting innings. The ODI innings that met the criterion of 100 runs scored and T20 innings with scores above 50 runs were used in the run breakdown, which included scores from the top 10 countries ranked by the ICC. The time-motion analyses and century breakdown were utilised in the establishment of a simulated batting protocol. The simulated batting protocol for female batters was created/developed by utilising the method designed by Houghton et al., (2011), who developed the BATEX© protocol. Results: The time-motion analyses indicated that the mean duration of an ODI innings was 169 minutes. An over lasted 2.45 minutes, with 24.86 seconds between each delivery and 55 seconds between each over. When the bowling side changed to a new bowler, it was 1.12 minutes between overs. The mean score for the first power play in an ODI was 41 runs with 1.38 wickets being taken. The mean score during the second power play was 28 runs with 0.714 wickets being taken. The T20 bowling innings lasted 75.50 minutes, with an over lasting 2.52 minutes with 25.58 seconds between deliveries. The mean score in the T20 batting innings was 122 runs. During the power play, which lasted 24.35 minutes, 37 runs were scored with 1.45 wickets being taken. The simulated batting innings was then designed as four stages lasting the duration of a typical women’s century. Each stage was based on theoretical phases of play that may occur during a batting innings. Conclusion: The study indicated that the women’s game has different movement requirements compared to the men’s game in both the ODI and T20 formats. Further, the demands differ depending on the country that is playing. A training and research protocol specifically designed for female batters is an important outcome.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Munro, Catherine
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Women cricket players , Cricket -- Batting , Cricket -- Coaching , Cricket -- Physiological aspects
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/76342 , vital:30550
- Description: Background: Accurate and reliable in-game data is fundamental when designing effective batting training. A simulated batting protocol that could aid research and training has not been specifically designed for female cricketers because of a distinct lack of empirical in-game data for the women’s version of the game. Objective: The purpose of this study was to quantify the motion demands and run-breakdown of a century and T20 half-century for women’s cricket matches to establish a simulated batting protocol specifically designed for female batters. Method: Time-motion analyses of four one-day international and six T20 innings were conducted on international cricket matches played around the world between 2012 and 2017. The innings was divided into the bowling and batting innings. The ODI innings that met the criterion of 100 runs scored and T20 innings with scores above 50 runs were used in the run breakdown, which included scores from the top 10 countries ranked by the ICC. The time-motion analyses and century breakdown were utilised in the establishment of a simulated batting protocol. The simulated batting protocol for female batters was created/developed by utilising the method designed by Houghton et al., (2011), who developed the BATEX© protocol. Results: The time-motion analyses indicated that the mean duration of an ODI innings was 169 minutes. An over lasted 2.45 minutes, with 24.86 seconds between each delivery and 55 seconds between each over. When the bowling side changed to a new bowler, it was 1.12 minutes between overs. The mean score for the first power play in an ODI was 41 runs with 1.38 wickets being taken. The mean score during the second power play was 28 runs with 0.714 wickets being taken. The T20 bowling innings lasted 75.50 minutes, with an over lasting 2.52 minutes with 25.58 seconds between deliveries. The mean score in the T20 batting innings was 122 runs. During the power play, which lasted 24.35 minutes, 37 runs were scored with 1.45 wickets being taken. The simulated batting innings was then designed as four stages lasting the duration of a typical women’s century. Each stage was based on theoretical phases of play that may occur during a batting innings. Conclusion: The study indicated that the women’s game has different movement requirements compared to the men’s game in both the ODI and T20 formats. Further, the demands differ depending on the country that is playing. A training and research protocol specifically designed for female batters is an important outcome.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Centralising a counter public: an ethnographic study of the interpretation of mainstream news media by young adults in Joza
- Authors: Ponono, Mvuzo
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: African National Congress Mass media -- Political aspects -- South Africa Press and politics -- South Africa , South Africa -- Politics and government -- 21st century Zuma, Jacob -- Political and social views , Political corruption -- 21st century Elections -- South Africa Voting -- South Africa Misconduct in office -- South Africa Abuse of administrative power -- South Africa Young adults -- Political activity -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Young adults -- Politics and government
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/65033 , vital:28655
- Description: The 2014 national general elections were characterised by a cloud of scandal hanging over the ANC, and the ANC president Jacob Zuma. The biggest and darkest cloud was the Nkandla scandal. Owing to a reported R246 million spent by the state to refurbish his private home, the president stood accused of wasteful expenditure and financial irregularity. In a country reeling from the continued effects of apartheid, which include high unemployment and poverty, the scandal was a bombshell. According to a vocal and often adversarial mainstream media sphere, the ANC went into those elections with an albatross around its neck. The dominant thought was that the ruling party would suffer a heavy loss of votes. This outcome did not materialise. The ANC lost a marginal share of its previous vote. Mainstream media and civil society were confounded. What had happened? Why had poor black South Africans continued to vote for a party that was obviously in breach of the constitutional order? Against the mismatch between what was predicted or purported and the outcome, this study investigates how young people in the township of Joza, Grahamstown, interpreted one of the biggest political scandals in South Africa’s fledgling democracy. Using a combination of subaltern studies, counter public sphere and audience study, the research looks into the interpretation of a mainstream media scandal that was supposed to diminish the chances of the ANC retaining power, but, instead, barely dented its majority. Through a combination of interviews and participant observation, the study found that young people in the township of Joza demonstrated that they chose to ignore the messages about the corruption of the ANC. The data suggests that they did so, not because of overt racial solidarity, but due to the fact that in a context of high inequality, and continued limitations on economic emancipation, the party shone brightly as a vehicle for economic development. Overall, the study argues that the seemingly dubious undertaking to continue with the ANC is a calculated decision that makes sense when viewed within a given socio-economic context.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Ponono, Mvuzo
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: African National Congress Mass media -- Political aspects -- South Africa Press and politics -- South Africa , South Africa -- Politics and government -- 21st century Zuma, Jacob -- Political and social views , Political corruption -- 21st century Elections -- South Africa Voting -- South Africa Misconduct in office -- South Africa Abuse of administrative power -- South Africa Young adults -- Political activity -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Young adults -- Politics and government
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/65033 , vital:28655
- Description: The 2014 national general elections were characterised by a cloud of scandal hanging over the ANC, and the ANC president Jacob Zuma. The biggest and darkest cloud was the Nkandla scandal. Owing to a reported R246 million spent by the state to refurbish his private home, the president stood accused of wasteful expenditure and financial irregularity. In a country reeling from the continued effects of apartheid, which include high unemployment and poverty, the scandal was a bombshell. According to a vocal and often adversarial mainstream media sphere, the ANC went into those elections with an albatross around its neck. The dominant thought was that the ruling party would suffer a heavy loss of votes. This outcome did not materialise. The ANC lost a marginal share of its previous vote. Mainstream media and civil society were confounded. What had happened? Why had poor black South Africans continued to vote for a party that was obviously in breach of the constitutional order? Against the mismatch between what was predicted or purported and the outcome, this study investigates how young people in the township of Joza, Grahamstown, interpreted one of the biggest political scandals in South Africa’s fledgling democracy. Using a combination of subaltern studies, counter public sphere and audience study, the research looks into the interpretation of a mainstream media scandal that was supposed to diminish the chances of the ANC retaining power, but, instead, barely dented its majority. Through a combination of interviews and participant observation, the study found that young people in the township of Joza demonstrated that they chose to ignore the messages about the corruption of the ANC. The data suggests that they did so, not because of overt racial solidarity, but due to the fact that in a context of high inequality, and continued limitations on economic emancipation, the party shone brightly as a vehicle for economic development. Overall, the study argues that the seemingly dubious undertaking to continue with the ANC is a calculated decision that makes sense when viewed within a given socio-economic context.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
The effect of bait on fine-scale habitat associations of reef fish investigated with remote underwater video systems
- Authors: Schmidt, Nicholas C
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Baited remote underwater stereo-video systems (stereo-BRUVs) , Remote underwater stereo-video systems , Underwater videography in wildlife monitoring -- South Africa -- Tsitsikamma , Fish stock assessment -- South Africa -- Tsitsikamma , Fish populations -- Monitoring -- South Africa -- Tsitsikamma , Fishes -- Habitat -- South Africa -- Tsitsikamma
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68380 , vital:29249
- Description: Establishing the associations between fish and their habitats can aid in the monitoring of fish stocks and the design of effective marine protected areas (MPAs). Baited remote underwater stereo-video systems (stereo-BRUVs) are now commonly used to asses fish populations. The habitats seen in the video footage of stereo-BRUVs can be used to link fish fauna to preferred habitat types. However, the application of bait potentially attracts fish from surrounding habitats, and might result in a biased understanding of fish–habitat associations. A field study was conducted in the Tsitsikamma National Park MPA to determine the effect of bait on fine-scale fish–habitat associations, using remote photographic and video methods. The study was conducted over the summer season of 2015 and 2016. Data were collected within a 1x1 km shallow (9–44 m) reef complex. Within the sampling area, 944 photo-quadrats of the macrobenthos were taken 30 m apart by means of a drop camera. By separating the macrobenthos into broad taxonomic groups, five habitat types were identified, namely Shallow Sand, Shallow Reef, Deep Reef, Deep Sand and Patch Reef. The results show that even on a fine scale, depth is an important predictor of macrobenthic distribution and assemblage structure. Baited (stereo-BRUVs) and unbaited (stereo-RUVs) surveys were then conducted to sample the fish community in the same area during the period under study. Higher abundances of fish were observed in reef than in sandy habitats, and bait was seen to have a positive effect on species richness and fish abundance. When comparing habitats, fish abundance and composition on reef habitats were significantly different from sand habitats. This was observed in both the stereo-RUVs and stereo-BRUVs methods. High counts of roman (Chrysoblephus laticeps), fransmadam (Boopsoidea inornata) and steentjie (Spondyliosoma emarginatum) in reef habitats were contrasted by high counts of white sea catfish (Galeichthys feliceps), evil-eye puffer (Amblyrhynchotes honckenii) and lesser guitarfish (Rhinecanthus annulatus) in sandy habitats. Overall, the underlying patterns in fish diversity recorded with the two video methods were generally comparable. However, stereo-RUVs appeared to be unable to detect species that were present in sand habitats, while stereo-BRUVs increased the number and abundance of species recorded in all habitat types. In the stereo-RUVs footage, differences between reef habitats were dampened by the presence of highly abundant fish species. In the stereo-BRUVs footage, although bait appeared to have an effect on the observed fish assemblage, this manifested in an increase in species richness, higher fish abundances and a better overall ability to detect fish–habitat relationships. As such, stereo-BRUVs are considered a robust, effective and recommended method for detecting fish–habitat relationships, even over a fine scale.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
- Authors: Schmidt, Nicholas C
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Baited remote underwater stereo-video systems (stereo-BRUVs) , Remote underwater stereo-video systems , Underwater videography in wildlife monitoring -- South Africa -- Tsitsikamma , Fish stock assessment -- South Africa -- Tsitsikamma , Fish populations -- Monitoring -- South Africa -- Tsitsikamma , Fishes -- Habitat -- South Africa -- Tsitsikamma
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/68380 , vital:29249
- Description: Establishing the associations between fish and their habitats can aid in the monitoring of fish stocks and the design of effective marine protected areas (MPAs). Baited remote underwater stereo-video systems (stereo-BRUVs) are now commonly used to asses fish populations. The habitats seen in the video footage of stereo-BRUVs can be used to link fish fauna to preferred habitat types. However, the application of bait potentially attracts fish from surrounding habitats, and might result in a biased understanding of fish–habitat associations. A field study was conducted in the Tsitsikamma National Park MPA to determine the effect of bait on fine-scale fish–habitat associations, using remote photographic and video methods. The study was conducted over the summer season of 2015 and 2016. Data were collected within a 1x1 km shallow (9–44 m) reef complex. Within the sampling area, 944 photo-quadrats of the macrobenthos were taken 30 m apart by means of a drop camera. By separating the macrobenthos into broad taxonomic groups, five habitat types were identified, namely Shallow Sand, Shallow Reef, Deep Reef, Deep Sand and Patch Reef. The results show that even on a fine scale, depth is an important predictor of macrobenthic distribution and assemblage structure. Baited (stereo-BRUVs) and unbaited (stereo-RUVs) surveys were then conducted to sample the fish community in the same area during the period under study. Higher abundances of fish were observed in reef than in sandy habitats, and bait was seen to have a positive effect on species richness and fish abundance. When comparing habitats, fish abundance and composition on reef habitats were significantly different from sand habitats. This was observed in both the stereo-RUVs and stereo-BRUVs methods. High counts of roman (Chrysoblephus laticeps), fransmadam (Boopsoidea inornata) and steentjie (Spondyliosoma emarginatum) in reef habitats were contrasted by high counts of white sea catfish (Galeichthys feliceps), evil-eye puffer (Amblyrhynchotes honckenii) and lesser guitarfish (Rhinecanthus annulatus) in sandy habitats. Overall, the underlying patterns in fish diversity recorded with the two video methods were generally comparable. However, stereo-RUVs appeared to be unable to detect species that were present in sand habitats, while stereo-BRUVs increased the number and abundance of species recorded in all habitat types. In the stereo-RUVs footage, differences between reef habitats were dampened by the presence of highly abundant fish species. In the stereo-BRUVs footage, although bait appeared to have an effect on the observed fish assemblage, this manifested in an increase in species richness, higher fish abundances and a better overall ability to detect fish–habitat relationships. As such, stereo-BRUVs are considered a robust, effective and recommended method for detecting fish–habitat relationships, even over a fine scale.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019